MEDICINE.

A man in Arabia was restored to life by simple means.

Theophrastus A Greek philosopher often called the 'father of botany' said, and Democritus The ancient Greek 'laughing philosopher' known for his atomic theory believed, that there exists an herb which, when applied, once caused a wooden wedge driven into a tree by shepherds to spring out. Yet why do we look at this as so portentous, when today there are those who say that the woodpecker original: "Picus martia," the Black Woodpecker—if its nest in a tree is ever craftily blocked up—will open the hole again without any effort using a certain herb known only to itself? If this herb were by chance found and collected, it could unlock even any iron bolt. If this is true, we will marvel even less at the virtues of Betony, which is said to have such power that snakes trapped within a circle of it will kill themselves by thrashing.

It will also perhaps seem incredible what they report about the Scythian and Spartan herbs; yet it has its own authorities, namely the Scythians themselves. They say one can endure twelve days of hunger and thirst by merely tasting it or holding it in the mouth.

By the herb Ethopis, rivers and ponds are dried up. Although what I say is perhaps ridiculous, it was once commonly believed; indeed, by its touch, all closed things are opened. No less unbelievable original: "ἄπιστον" is what they affirm regarding Achimenis: specifically, that if it is thrown into an enemy's line of battle, the ranks tremble and turn their backs in flight. It is also recorded in memory that the Latace herb was habitually given by the King of the Persians to his ambassadors, so that wherever they went, they might abound in a plenty of all things.

And since we have come upon the miracles of herbs, perhaps the marvelous and even unusual natures of certain plants ought to be counted as miracles.

Indeed, Cucumbers hate oil so much that they will even curve into hooks to avoid touching it. Goats so despise Basil original: "Ozimon" that they consider nothing more pestilent; for it even excites madness original: "μανίαν" in them.

Oregano disagrees with Cabbage with such persistent hatred that they destroy one another. If a sheep or goat from a flock should pick up a stalk of Sea-Holly original: "Eringij," or Eryngium with a bite and hold it in its mouth, the whole flock immediately stands still; abandoning their desire to graze, and stunned as if by a new spectacle, they do not cease marvelling at the thing until the shepherd approaches and takes that stalk away. By throwing it far off, he corrects the useless idleness of his flock. The authors of this account are Aristophanes and then Plutarch.

Let us come also to stones, which perhaps someone will not admire as much, as if they possess nothing besides color and hardness. For in this way, even the rooster in the fable preferred a single grain of barley to six hundred Emeralds. But these stones are endowed with such many gifts that they surpass herbs by many miles original: "parasangis," an ancient Persian measure of distance. This we shall make clear with only one or two examples, for it is not my purpose now to transcribe all of Albertus Magnus, Pliny, and Dioscorides.

The only refuge for wild beasts is Lippares, a small stone, so they say, otherwise so despised that it is not considered worth a farthing; and yet if beasts flee to it, and find it while in flight, it renders them invisible or at least safe from hunters. If we allow this in animals, why should we not equally believe it could happen in a man?

a 2